3 local teams carry Section 9 banner into state baseball tourney

Minisink Valley, Cornwall, Coleman Catholic begin quests this week

The baseball teams from Cornwall and John A. Coleman Catholic enter the state playoffs on Tuesday looking to defend their 2012 state titles. Minisink Valley, which defeated reigning state Class AA champion Kingston in the Section 9 final, plays an opening-round game on Monday.

The baseball teams from Cornwall and John A. Coleman Catholic enter the state playoffs on Tuesday looking to defend their 2012 state titles. Minisink Valley, which defeated reigning state Class AA champion Kingston in the Section 9 final, plays an opening-round game on Monday.

Here is a look at each team's road to the state seminfinals, which will be played on Saturday in the Binghamton area.

Minisink Valley (14-9) entered the Section 9 tournament as the last seed in a seven-team field, but the Warriors wound up on top by beating the top three seeds — Kingston, Pine Bush and Roosevelt — en route to the school's first baseball title since 2008.

The Warriors' seed in the tournament was a result of the team's slow start in April, when they went 3-6. Since then, they've gone 11-3.

"We needed to learn how to win," said coach Dave Benedetto. "Once we started to learn how to win, then they started to believe in themselves and just how good they were. The seeds in the Section 9 tournament, to me, don't mean anything. It doesn't matter who you play. Everyone puts their cleats on the same way."

Minisink Valley faces Section 4 champion Union-Endicott (14-5) at 4:30 p.m. Monday at SUNY Binghamton. Union-Endicott scored six runs in the first inning in an 8-6 victory over Horseheads in the Section 4 final.

Union-Endicott has had a traditionally strong baseball program over the years. Baltimore Orioles closer Jim Johnson is an Union-Endicott graduate.

With three college-bound seniors leading the rotation, the Minisink Valley players knew they could be dangerous in the postseason. Three of its stars will all pitch at the next level: Bobby Maxwell at Long Island University-Brooklyn, Josh Walker at University of South Florida and John-Michael Guarino at SUNY Oswego.

"We started off a little slow, but we knew we had a good team here," said freshman center fielder and leadoff hitter Chris Davignon. "We needed to keep our heads up. We played some good teams in the playoffs and it was a good battle all the way through."

The winner of Monday's opening round game faces Section 1 champion Arlington (19-5) in the state quarterfinals on Tuesday. Arlington scored eight runs in the top of the seventh inning to rally over Fox Lane in the Section 1 final.

Cornwall, which graduated most of its roster after winning the state title in 2012, has had a season not unlike Minisink Valley.

The Green Dragons started 1-3, losing to Pine Bush, Kingston and James I. O'Neill in non-league games. Cornwall finished the regular season with a 9-11 record, but earned the No. 1 seed after winning a 10th consecutive OCIAA Division III title.

In the Section 9 playoffs, Cornwall beat Wallkill in the semifinals, and rallied in the championship game from a five-run deficit to beat Red Hook, 7-5.

Cornwall (11-11) awaits the winner of Monday's opening-round game between Section 1's John Jay-Cross River and Section 4's Maine-Endwell.

John A. Coleman Catholic, like Cornwall, entered postseason play with a losing record. After topping Eldred in the Section 9 final, the Statesmen are 6-9. They need three wins to both clinch a .500 record and win a state title for the second straight season.

Section 9's Class D champions have had great success against Smithtown Christian of Long Island in recent years. Between 2007 and 2012, Section 9's Class D representatives have gone 5-0 against Smithtown Christian in the state playoffs. Coleman Catholic defeated the Suffolk County school in last season's quarterfinal round, 2-1.

"We're very different from last year," said junior pitcher Jim LaValle. "I feel like we hit better this year, but our defense does suffer a little bit. I know I can throw every few days and as long as the defense is there and we can put the bats together, I have full confidence in our other pitchers and relievers. I really think we can go far again."